Speleers, Urban, Butler: Hunks of Comic-Con

There were a few young hunks on display at Comic-Con. Edward Speleers (left) stars in Fox 2000's entry in the post-LOTR period fantasy sweepstakes, Eragon. Stefan Fangmeier (the ILM VFX whiz-turned-director) finally found this rookie actor in London after sifting through 180,000 applicants. Also adorable, and surprisingly more chiseled, was Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe, from the set via videotape, not talking about "the kiss" in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Pathfinderpuba_1 Truth is, Sheigh and I both share a guilty affection for the more mature, strapping physique of Karl Urban, star of Marcus Nispel's Pathfinder, a sword-hacking Viking vs. Native American action adventure which will probably prove too bloody for most people. Nonetheless we enjoyed the footage showing Urban, playing the grown-up version of the Viking boy who was left behind by his people, fighting the monstrously armed Vikings, stripped to the waist.

In a similar vein, the footage from 300, Zack Snyder's Sin City-influenced, digitally enhanced reenactment of Frank Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae, looked amazing. Playing a Spartan General, Gerard Butler complained about having to wear a heavy cape that interfered with his fighting. Entirely agree: lose the cape, Gerry!

Not so hunky is Nic Cage, star of Ghost Rider, a cool-looking macho flick that has been in the works far too long to be good. He also turned up for a panel. I adore this gifted actor on-screen. But in person, he is way too weird. Note to studio flacks: like Tom Cruise, some movie stars are better left at home.